URGENT UPDATE: A Barry University law professor, Glen-Peter Ahlers, 70, was arrested this week after investigators found hundreds, potentially thousands, of child pornography images on his hard drive. The alarming arrest, confirmed by police documents released Thursday, raises serious concerns about the safety of children and the integrity of educational institutions.
The disturbing allegations involve graphic images of infants and toddlers, with some children depicted in sexually explicit acts with adults, according to the detailed affidavit. In particularly horrifying instances, the children were bound and gagged while being abused. Ahlers, who has been a faculty member at Barry University in Orlando since 2002, was placed on administrative leave following his arrest on Tuesday.
Initially jailed, Ahlers posted a $100,000 bond and is no longer listed as an inmate at the Orange County Jail. As of Thursday afternoon, he has yet to enter a plea, according to court records.
The investigation into Ahlers began in October 2023 when Dropbox reported suspicious activity to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The center quickly alerted the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, leading detectives to search Ahlers’ Dropbox account, which was linked to an online network notorious for sharing child sexual abuse material. Investigators found 47 images of a school-age girl engaged in sexual acts with an adult male.
Further forensic investigations into Ahlers’ home and university office revealed a hard drive containing “hundreds or thousands” of explicit images and videos involving the sexual abuse of young children. The affidavit detailed a meticulously organized Dropbox account filled with folders containing disturbing content.
On February 3, sheriff’s investigators stopped Ahlers while driving near Colonial Drive. He was informed of the forthcoming search warrants and subsequently questioned by detectives. During his interrogation, Ahlers described his attraction to child pornography as “just curiosity,” referring to it as his “own private embarrassment.” He claimed to have deleted some images in preparation for his marriage, yet investigators discovered explicit material on a hard drive in his home office.
Ahlers’ wife has reportedly expressed no surprise over the allegations, citing previous instances where she caught him “looking at young teenage girls in public.” Additionally, investigators found troubling images on Ahlers’ phone, including four photos zooming in on a young woman believed to be a student at Barry University, apparently attempting to photograph her genitals.
The shocking details of this case have sent ripples through the Barry University community and beyond, raising urgent questions about faculty conduct and student safety. As the investigation continues, the university has faced significant scrutiny regarding its hiring practices and the measures in place to protect students.
Authorities are expected to release further information as the case develops. The public is urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities immediately.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
